Labour has asked for the tendering process for new Thameslink trains to be reviewed after the disastrous decision to award the contract to a German firm rather than support British company Bombardier. Thameslink serves Tooting and Streatham stations, both of which are used by Tooting residents. In a new development the Daily Mirror reports:

‘One of David Cameron’s top advisers was yesterday accused of helping Bombardier’s rival win the Thameslink rail contract. Michael Queen is among the Prime Minister’s cosy inner circle of economic experts.But he is also chief of Europe’s biggest buyout firm 3i group, which was involved in German firm Siemens securing the £1.4billion deal to build carriages for the Brighton to Bedford line.

The decision was a devastating blow to Bombardier and triggered the loss of 1,400 jobs – with thousands more at risk. It also emerged yesterday the chairman of 3i is Sir Adrian Montague, once dubbed the “Government’s favourite fixer”, who is close to the Coalition, too. The revelations prompted MPs, union leaders and workers to demand an independent review of the whole Thameslink tendering process.’